Calculating machine



Nov. 13,1945. H. L. LAMBERT A CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1942 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 1-3, 1945.-

H. LAMBERT CALCULATING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1942vlvurv blrlllt VEN TOE.

A 7T0/PN576.

Nov. 13, 1945. H. LAMBERT CALCULATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1942 5Sheets-Sheet 3 A TI'OANEYS.

Patented Nov. 13, 1945 CALCULATING MACHINE Harry L. Lambert, Enfield, N.Y., assignor to Allen Wales Addin Machine Corporation, Ithaca,

Application February 20, 1942, Serial No. 431,745

4 Claims.

This invention relatesto calculating machines, and particularly toimproved means for not only preventing certain accidental errors in theoperation of such a machine, but also for ensuring complete entry ofdesired items in connection with calculating operations.

This invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the inventiondisclosed and claimed in United States Patent No. 2,062,731, issuedDecember 1, 1936, to Charles Schroder.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved calculatingmachine in which the operator is required to make proper designation ofdetails in connection with different items used in calculatingoperations, and in which a calculating operation will be automaticallyprevented if any of thekeys determining the calculation are onlypartially depressed or operated, which will require a minimum of changesin existing types of machines, and which will be relatively simple,practical, dependable and inexpensive.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the:followingdescription of one embodiment of the invention and the novel featureswill be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a portion of acalculating machine to which this invention is directly related, and inwhich this invention is incorporated;

Fig. 2 is a perspective of a portion of the'mechanism shown in Fig. 1,and illustrating certain features of construction;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation through a portion of themechanism of Fig. l, to show certain details thereof, and illustratingthe relative positions of the parts when a movement of the calculatingmechanism is blocked;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the .face of one en. forced designation typebar forming a part of this invention;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of aportion of a calculating machineconstructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrating certaindetails of construction;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionalelevation of a portion of the same andillustrating a sectional Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 5, butillustrating the relative positions of the parts at the end of aninitial increment of movement of the calculating mechanism, where theoperation of the calculating mechanism is blocked by improper operationof the keyboard;

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional elevation through a portion of themachine at the keyboard, to show the normal inactive positionsof certainof the parts forming a part of this invention;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to the right hand end of the apparatus of'Fig.10, but with an item designating key in operative position to releasethe calculating mechanism; and

Fig. 12 is a View similar to Fig. 10, but illustrating difierentrelative positions of the parts such as occur after the keyboard hasbeen properly operated and an operation of the calculating mechanism hasbeen initiated.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the calculating machinein which the invention is incorporated is of a type that has beenavailable in the open market for some time, and which is shown to someextent in the Schroder patent, above identified, and also in the U. S.patents to Peters Number 1,386,021 and White Number 1,854,875. Thoseparts of the standard calculating machines which are not particularlymodified by the incorporation of this invention in such machines havebeen omitted in the interest of simplicity and clarity. In machines ofthis type, the calculating mechanism is operated by or concurrently witha main operating shaft 1, which may be either manually operated by ahandle la, shown by dash lines in Fig. 9, and full lines in Fig. 5, oroperated by the application of motive power to the shaft I in a mannerwell known in the art, and which is not, per se, a part of thisinvention. This shaft l, during a calculating operation, is usuallyoperated angularly from a position shown by the dot and dash line A inFig. 5 to a position shown by the dot and dash line B in the samefigure, and then returned to the position A.

In certain types of machines, such as addition and subtraction machines,the shaft I may be given two successive oscillations of the same extentin performing certain operations, as set forth, for example, in mycopending application Serial No. 416,833, filed October 28, 1941.Secured to or operating with the shaft l is a member 2 which is commonlyknown as a full stroke sector, or it may be any separate member attachedto or operated concurrently with the shaft I The member 2 carries a stopblock 3 having in its outer edge a notch 4. An interlocking lever 5(Fig. 5) is pivoted at 6 to a suitable part of the frame 1 of themachine, and is yieldingly urged in one direction (counterclockwise inFig. 5) by a spring 8 which at one end is connected to the lever 5 andat its other end is suitably anchored by a pin 9 to the frame I. e

The lever 5 has a nose l which is positioned in the notch 4 when themember 2 is in its normal or inactive position shown in full lines inFig. 5. The spring 8 urges the lever in a direction tending to withdrawthe nose ill from the notch 4. A stud or roller I I provided on-themember 2 engages a tail 12 0n the lever 5 and rocks the lever 5 in adirection to tension the spring 8 and carry the nose [9 into the notch 4as the member 2 completes a calculating operation and moves in aclockwise direction into the full line position shown in Fig. 5. Theroller ll thus holds the lever 5 in the full line position of Fig. 5,with the nose H] within the notch 4. The roller II, also at about thesame time, engages and works against the oblique cam edge l3 on thedepending end of a key release lever M which is pivoted at l5 to theframe I 6 of the keyboard. This lever l4 when cammed upwardly by theroller II at the same time that the lever 5 is rocked into the full lineposition of Fig. 5, engages against the oblique cam edge I! (Figs. 5,and 12) of a latching bar or element 58 and operates the latter endwise.The bar I8 also may be designated as a sliding bar,

This bar I8 is mounted in the frame l6 of the keyboard to slide in adirection from side to side, and is urged resiliently in one direction(to the left in Fig. 10) by a spring [9, Figs, 10 to 12, which passesthrough an aperture in one end of the bar and is anchored at its otherend suitably to the frame Hi. When the lever l4 engages cam edge I! andcams the bar Hi from the full line position of Fig. 12 to the full lineposition of Fig. 10, the bar I8 is shifted in a direction to tension orstress the spring I9, and then when the bar l8 isreleased by the leverl4, as happens when the member 2 begins its counter-clockwise movement(Fig. 5) in performing a, calculating operation, the spring l9 willshift the bar I8 from the position shown in Fig. 10 to that shown inFig. 12.

' The bar i8 is provided with an elevated upper edge zone 20 on its lefthand end in Fig. 10, and

immediately to the right of that zone 20 is a lower edge zone 2|. Thelever 5 is also provided with a tail 22 (Figs. 5 and 10) which overliesthe erojecting end of the bar 18 having the cam edge When the lever 5 isin its normal or full line position show-n in Fig. 5, in which it isheld by the roller H, the tail 22 will lie above and be spaced from theupper edge zone 20 of the bar I8. When the bar I8 is shifted to the leftin 10, such as into the position shown in Fig. 12, and the lever 5 isreleased, the spring 8 will rock the lever 5 in a direction to carry thetail 22 towards the bar I 8, and the tail will then clear the elevatedzone 20 and enter and engage the lower zone edge 2!. At the beginning ofthe movement of the member 2 counterclockwise in Fig. 5, which is thefirst increment of movement in a calculating operation, the roller llreleases both thetail l2 of lever 5 and the key release lever M, and thenotch 4 is long enough to allow this preliminary increment of movementof the memler2 during which the lever l4 releases the bar As soon as thebar [8 moves into the full line position in Fig. 12, the tail 22 engagesthe lower edge zone 2| and the lever 5 is then in the dash line positionshown in Fig. 5, in which the nose H1 is out of the notch 4 entirely.The member 2 then may continue its full operation in the manner intendedin performing a calculating operation. If, however, the bar l8 whenreleased by the roller II and the key release lever 14 is prevented frommoving from the position of Fig. 10, to that of Fig, 12, the tail 22will engage with the elevated edge zone 20 instead of the edge zone 2!,as shown in Fig. 9, and this will prevent rocking of the lever 5, eventhough released by the roller ll, far enough to remove the nose ill fromthe notch 4. The nose ill will then engage with one end of the notch 4of the stop block 3, and block or prevent movement of the member 2 andmain shaft l far enough to cause a calculating operation of thecalculating mechanism. To this extent, the mechanism may be the same asdisclosed in the patent to Schroder above referred to. In the Schroderpatent, the bar I8 is controlled by the keys representing numbers to beset up in the keyboard, in order to determine the character of thecalculation performed by subsequent movement of the main shaft 1.

The keyboard is provided with a plurality of rows of keys 23, these rowsbeing arranged side by side and each row running in a direction fromfront to rear of the machine. The keyboard is also provided with one ormore additional rows of keys 24 (one only being shown) which arepreferably alongside the other rows of keys or parallel thereto. Thekeys 23 may be considered as one group, which are selectively operated tset up numbers by pressing the keys in the different row selectively aswell understood in this art. The keys 24 represent what may be termed anenforced designation group. in that they control the making of a recordof some details related to the numbers which are set up in the keyboard,such as the identity of the clerk making a calculation, or thedepartment to which the calculation refers, or whether an item enteredin a calculation in a filling station is gasoline, oil or some otheritem.

All of the keys of all of the groups are provided with correspondinglypositioned fingers or lugs 25 (Figs. 10 to 12) which are alined in eachrow. Ex-

tending along each row of keys is a locking strip or member 26 which isrockably mounted on the bottom plate of the keyboard frame l6 andextends edgewise upwardly therefrom toward the lower edge of the bar 18.There is a strip 26 for each row of keys, all individually mounted, and

each of these bars at its upper edge enters a notch 2! in the lower edgeof the bar [8, so that the bar It when moved endwise of itself will rockall of the strips 26 in the same manner and same direction.

Adjacent each key of its related row, each strip 26 is provided with aflange 28 which extends toward the adjacent finger 25. When the keys ofall groups are all fully up or fully depressed, that is, when none arepartly but incompletely operated or depressed, the flanges 28 will passabove or below the related fingers 25 of all keys when the bar [8 ismoved to the left in Figs. 10 and 12 under the action of the spring l9.If any key of any group is only partially and incompletely depressed,then the end of the flange 28 which is adjacent the finger 25 of thatkey will engage the end of the finger 25. This prevents continuedmovement of that strip 26, and it in turn stops the movement of the barI8 under the action of spring I9 into the position shown in Fig. 12,where the tail 22 is released. Thus if any key is only partiallydepressed, the finger 25 of that key, by engagement with the flange 28of its related locking strip 26, will prevent movement of the bar I8 farenough to release the locking lever 5. This prevents movement of themain shaft beyond the initial preliminar extent which does not cause anoperation of the calculating machine, all as disclosed in said Schroederpatent above identified.

In accordance with this invention, the bar I8 is utilized to prevent anoperation of the calculating mechanism unless at least one of the keys24 of one or more other groups is operated or depressed, and the mannerin which this is accomplished for one second group of keys 24 will nowbe described. At one end of the row of keys 24 (Figs. 10 to 12 and onthe frame I of the keyboard, a lever 29 is pivoted by pin 30 and itextends over one of the locking strips 26. The particular strip 26 overwhich this lever 29 extends may be provided with a notch 3I in itsflange 28 into which notch the free end of lever 29 may be received, anda spring 32 connected at one end to the lever 29 and at its other end tothe bottom plate of the keyboard frame I6, resiliently urges the lever29 in a direction against the strip 26 which is engaged by the lever 29.Since the same strip 25 is also engaged with the bar I8, it follows thatwhenever the bar I8 moves to the left in Figs. and 12, the strip engagedby lever 29 will rock the lever 29, in a direction to tension the spring32, such as from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown inFig. 8. The lever 29 is provided on its upper edge with a lug orprojection 33.

Also pivoted on the frame I6 adjacent each row of keys is a zero stopmember 34 pivoted at 35 and urged by a spring (not shown) toward an edgeof the related row of keys 23 or 24 (Figs. 6 and 10 to 12). Each member34 extends along each row of keys in a position to be operated or cammedaside by any key of that row or group which is depressed, each key ofthat row having a notch 36a in which the related member 34 may engagewhen that key is fully retracted. When any key is depressed, it cams therelated zero stop member 34 to one side such as from the position shownin Fig. 10 to the position shown in Figs. 11 and 12, to release the stopbar of that row. The member 34 for the row of keys 24 extends in frontof the tongue or lug 33 on lever 29 for that row as shown in Figs. 6 and7, but when any key 24 is depressed the member 34 of that row is cammedaside so that it no longer abuts against the end of the related lug 33.

If while no key 24 is depressed and the member 34 of that row abutsendwise against the related lug 33, the locking bar I8 is released by apreliminary movement of the main shaft I, the bar I8 is prevented fromoperating out of the retracted position shown in Fig. 10, because to doso the strip 26 engaged by the lever 29 would be rocked in a directionto force the lug 33 against the edge of member 34. The unoperated member34 of the keys 24 prevents such rocking of the lever 29, and hence thisprevents movement of the bar I8. If, however, any key 24 is operated,the member 34 of that group is o-ammed to one side and held out of thepath of the related lug 33, and then when the bar I8 is released by thispreliminary initial movement of the main shaft, member 34 will notinterfere with the swinging of the related lever 29, and the bar I8, inmoving under the action of its spring, will carry lever 29 into theposition shown by full lines in Figs. 8 and 12.

In this type of calculating device, the keys when depressed or operatedcarry their lower ends 36 into the path of lugs on stop bar 31. Thesestop bars are arranged side by side, one for each row of keys 23 and onefor the row of keys 24. The stop bar 31 for the keys 24 is similar tothe stop bars 38 for the rows of keys 23. These bars 'at their forwardends have slots 39 which are guided upon a cross rod 49. The rear endsof the stop bars 38 for all keys 23 are connected to rack bars 4I whichoperate totalizer wheels 42 in a manner well understood in this art, andthese bars 38 also have rearwardly extending connections which operaterelated type bars 43 in the usual manner.

The stop bar 31 for the keys 24 i pivotally connected by a pin 44 to alever 45, having no rack bar 4! but pivoted on a shaft 49 which alsomounts the rack bars 4i for the stop bars related to keys 23. The lever45 is connected by a link 41 to the lower end of a related designatingtype bar 48 which extends upwardly along side of the number type bars 43in position to be shifted to different extents in front of the platen 49as usual in this type of machine. Each type bar 48 carries on its face,instead of numbers, suitable symbols or designations such as letters 50,Fig. 4, or designations 5i for gas, 52 for oil, or any other selectedsymbols. If the machine is intended to require the different clerks orattendants to designate by a suitable symbol, the clerk or attendant whois making the operation, then the keys 24 will bear on their facesproper designations of the different clerks such as by letters A, B, C,etc., and the designations 59, 5|, and 52, etc., on the designating typebar 48 will be similar designations. The bars 43 and 48 carryindividually movable type that will print corresponding designations onthe paper on the platen during the printing operation. If the attendantis to designate difierent departments or different classes of items,then the symbols on the keys 24 will represent those different items andthe designations 59, 5t and 52 will represent type that will printsimilar designations. After the type bars are shifted vertically todifferent extents to position particular type in printing position infront of the platen 44, the individual type 53 thereon will be drivenagainst the platen to perform a printing operation by hammer mechanism54 as usual in this type of machine.

In the operation of the simple machine illustrated in the drawings, itwill be understood that when the machine is idle, the parts are in therelative positions shown in Figs. 5, 6, and 10. To perform acalculation, the attendant depresses selected keys 23 in the differentrows to represent a number to be run into the totalizer 42, and alsodepresses one of the key 24. When any key 24 is depressed in thismanner, it cams aside the zero stop member 34 for that row and places itout of abutting relation to the related lug 33 on lever 29, that is, thezero stop member 34 is moved from the abutting position shown in Figs.6, 7 and 10 to the position shown in Figs. 8, l1 and 12, which releasesthe lever 29. When the main shaft I is then operated either by hand orby motive power, from the angular position shown by the line A in Fig.5, to the line B, the particular initial or preliminary increment ofmovement will carry the roller I I from engagement with the cam edge I3of the key release lever I4 and from the tail I2 of the lever 5.

As soon as the lever I4 drops under the action of its spring 54, Fig. 5,it releases the latching bar or device I8, and the latter is then movedby its spring I9 from the position of Fig. 10 to that of Fig. 12 duringwhich it rocks all of the looking Strips 26 to the left. If all of thekeys 23 are either fully retracted or fully set the flanges 28 on thestrip 27 will clear all of the fingers 25 and pass above or below thesame to enable the bar I8 to complete its movement into the positionshown in Fig. 12, where the edge zone 2!] i moved from beneath the tail22 of the lever 5. The lever B is then rocked by spring 8 into the dashline position of Fig. to remove the nose It from the notch 4 just assoon as the roller I I clears the tail I2, Fig. 5. The shaft I withmember 2 can then continue the movement by which a calculation isperformed, and during such calculation the number type bars 43 areshifted to different extents in front of the platen 49 and the hammermechanism forces the individual type on said bars then in printingposition in front of the platen, against the platen to print the numberscorresponding to those of the keys 23 which were depressed.

At the same time and by the same operation, the stop bar 31 is limitedin its movement by the tail 36 of the depressed key 24 and this limitsthe extent to which the lever 45 is rocked and hence the extent to whichthe type bar 48 is shifted upwardly in front of the platen 49. This de'termines the particular symbol 50, 5|, 52, etc., which is in printinposition in front of the platen, and hence the particular symbol that isprinted on the platen during the same printing operation that prints thenumbers. Thus, during such printing operation which prints the numberscorresponding to those of the keys 23 depressed, a designating symbol isalso printed alongside of the number so printed as explanatory of thatnumber.

If any key of any group is partly but incompletely depressed, then thefinger 25 of that key will be disposed in the path of the adjacentflange 28 of the adjacent locking strip 26, and then when the bar i8 isreleased by the key release lever I4, engagement of the flange 28against the end of the finger 25 of the improperly depressed key willprevent full movement of the bar I8, and thus will prevent movement ofthe edge zone 20 from beneath the tail 22 of lever 5. Then, when thelever 5 is released by the roller I I, the spring 8 will rock the tail22 against the edge zone 20 but this movement will not be sufficient toremove the nose in from the notch 4 and hence at the end of thispreliminary movement of the shaft I and member 2, the nose ill willengage with the end of notch 4 and block farther movement of the member2 and shaft I.

This will inform the operator either that some key has been improperlydepressed, and is not either in its retracted or fully set position orthat no key 2 3 has been operated. Thus by providing this control of oneor more of the looking strips 26 by one or more levers 29, and thecontrol of the latter by a related zero stop member as, we require theattendant or operator to operate one or more proper designating keys 24before a calculating operation can be performed.

Thus a record will be made on the paper on the platen, not only of theamounts which have been added or subtracted representing'the sales orpayments for any given period, but also a symbol will b printedalongside each item that will indicate which clerk made the sale orpayment, or the character of the product sold, or give any otherinformation desired as to the nature of that entry. It is only necessaryto add a very few parts to the mechanism shown in the Schroder patent,in order to give this additional result.

It will be understood that various changes in the details andarrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustratedin order to explain th nature of the invention, may be made by thoseskilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, having a plurality of rows ofkeys; means on the keys; sensing means including members normally out ofengagement with the keys but movable a predetermined extent to engagethe keys; means tending to mov the sensing means a predetermined extentto move the members into engagement withthe keys during an initialportion of an operation of the machine; said means on the keys beingeffective, when a key is in a partially depressed or intermediateposition, to cooperate with the members and prevent the sensing meansfrom moving said predetermined extent during said initial portion of theoperation of the machine; and means controlled by the sensing means toprevent the operation of the machine beyond said initial portion of itsoperation if the sensing means has not moved said predetermined extentduring said initial portion of the machine operation, the combination ofa control means cooperable with the keys of one of said rows andshiftable from a normal pos tion by the depression of any key in therow; and interponent means cooperable with said sensing means and withthe control means in its normal position to prevent the sensing meansfrom moving said predetermined extent during ,the initial portion of theoperation of the machine; said interponent allowing the sensing means tomove the members toward the keys during the initial portion of theoperation of the machine if the control means has been shifted from itsnormal position by the depression of a key in said one row, whereby thekeys of said one row are also effective to control the operation of thesensing means to prevent the operation of the machine beyond saidinitial portion of its operation unless one of the keys in said row hasbeen depressed.

2. In a machine of the class described having a plurality of rows ofkeys; lugs on the keys; a control member for each row of keys; means onthe keys for moving the related control member from a normal positionwhen a key in the row is depressed; locking means including members, onefor each row of keys, normally out of engagement with the keys butmovable a predetermined extent to engage tie keys and cooperate with thelugs on the keys to lock the keys to prevent the depression or releaseof any key during an operation of the machine; means tending to move thelocking means said predetermined extent into locking engagement with thekeys during an initial portion of an operation of the machine; said lugson the keys cooperating with the members of the locking means, when anykey is-in a partialiy depressed or intermediate position, to prevent thelocking means from moving said predetermined extent during said initialportion of the operation of the machine; and means cooperating with thelocking means to prevent the operation of the machine beyond saidinitial portion of its operation if the locking means has not moved saidpredetermined extent during the initial portion of the operation of themachine, the combination of an interponent member; means on theinterponent member extending in the path of movement of the lockingmeans and engaged by the locking means so that the locking means, whenoperated, will operate the interponent member; and other means on theinterponent member engaging the control member for one row of keys, whenthe control member is in its normal position, to block the movement ofthe interponent member and thereby the locking means when no key isdepressed in said one row, said control member, when operated by thedepression of a key in said one row, releasing the interponent memberand the locking means for movement during said initial portion of amachine operation and thereby controlling the operation of the machineto allow the machine to be operated beyond said initial portion of itsoperation.

3. In a machine of the class described having a plurality of rows ofkeys; lugs on the keys; locking means including members, one for eachrow of keys, normally out of engagement With the keys but movable apredetermined extent to engage the keys and cooperate with the lugs onthe keys to lock the keys to prevent the depression or release of anykey during an operation of the machine; means tending to move thelooking means a predetermined extend during an initial portion of anoperation of the machine; said lugs on the keys being effective, throughthe cooperation with said members, when any key is in a partiallydepressed or intermediate position, to prevent the locking means frommoving said predetermined extent during said initial portion of theoperation of the machine; and means cooperating with the locking meansto prevent the operation of the machine beyond said initial portion ofits operation if the looking means has not moved said predeterminedextent during the initial portion of the operation of the machine, thecombination of a control member; means on the keys of one of said rowsof keys fo moving the control member from its normal position; aninterponent member; means on the interponent member extending in thepath of movement of the locking means to be operated thereby so that thelocking means, when operated, will operate the interponent member: andother means on the interponent member engaging the control member, whenthe control member is in its normal position, to block the movement ofthe interponent member and there by the locking means when no key isdepressed in said one row, said control member, when operated by thedepression of a key in said one row, releasing the interponent memberand the locking means for movement during said initial portion of amachine operation and thereby controlling the operation of the machineso that the machine can be operated beyond said initial portion of itsoperation when a key in said one row has been depressed.

4. In a machine of the class described, having a plurality of rows ofkeys; means on the keys;

locking means including members, one for each row of keys, normally outof engagement with the keys but movable a predetermined extent to engagethe keys of their respective rows and cooperate with the means thereonto lock the keys to prevent the depression or release of any key duringan operation of the machine; means tending to move the locking meanssaid predetermined extent during an initial portion of an operation ofthe machine; said means on the keys being effective, through cooperationwith said members, when a key is in a partially depressed orintermediate position, to prevent the locking means from moving saidpredetermined extent during said initial portion of the operation of themachine; and means controlled by the looking means to prevent theoperation of the machine beyond said initial portion of its operation ifthe locking means has not moved said predetermined extent during saidinitial portion of a machine operation, the combination of a controlmember cooperable with the keys of one of said rows; means on the keysof said one row fo shifting the control member from a normal positionupon the depression of any key in said one row; and a pivotedinterponent element having thereon an extension extending into the pathof movement of one of said members of the looking means for operationthereby when the looking means moves said predetermined extent to movethe members into engagement with the keys, and having thereon anotherextension which engages the control member in the normal position of thecontrol member to block the rocking of the interponent element andthereby block the locking means from moving said predetermined extentunless the member has been shifted from its normal position by thedepression of a key in said one row, whereby the keys of said one roware efiective, through the locking means, to prevent the operation ofthe machine beyond said initial portion of its operation unless one ofthe keys has been depressed.

HARRY L. LAMBERT.

